Economic Overview - Wholesale prices increased by 0.5% month-over-month in January, exceeding the consensus estimate of 0.3%, and rose 2.9% year-over-year [3][10] - Core PPI, excluding food and energy, jumped 0.8% month-over-month and 3.6% year-over-year, both figures above the Federal Reserve's 2% target [4][10] - A shrinking labor market is raising concerns about the economy's health and increasing fears of a recession [6] Market Sentiment - Recent tech selloff has put pressure on stocks, leading to a decline in all three major indexes and erasing most gains for the year in February [1] - The Federal Reserve maintained interest rates in the range of 3.25-3.5% during its January meeting, which may affect investor sentiment following the latest inflation readings [5] Defensive Stock Recommendations - **Atmos Energy Corporation (ATO)**: Engaged in regulated natural gas distribution, serving 3.3 million customers across eight states, with an expected earnings growth rate of 9% and a current dividend yield of 2.14% [7][8][10] - **Consolidated Water Co. Ltd. (CWCO)**: Focuses on seawater desalination and water distribution, with an expected earnings growth rate of 11.6% and a current dividend yield of 1.48% [11][12][10] - **Fortis, Inc. (FTS)**: Operates in electric and gas utility sectors, with an expected earnings growth rate of 5.4% and a current dividend yield of 3.24% [13][10]